COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTIONBlack Xantus is a rare bird and the first new release from
Nectar Ales in Years. It is the First ever “big-beer” to be released under the Nectar Ales line. Barrel aged for 6 months
in combination of Bourbon, retired Firestone Union and
wine barrels and Infused with fair-trade, organic coffee
from local roaster Jobella. Rich bourbon and coffee aromas
greet the senses. Complex chocolate and tobacco flavors
fill the palate. This beer displays a full-bodied mouth-feel
and an overall balanced presentation. It would be a perfect
pairing to rich chocolate desserts.
Style: Imperial Java Stout IBUs: 50 Color: Black ABV: 11%

Great imperial stout. This beer has very strong notes of chocolate and coffee that offset the high alcohol content. This is a sipping beer that really comes into its own when enjoyed slowly because as the beer warms up the chocolate and coffee notes really jump out at you.

Flavor is bitter coffee, roasted malts, anise, light char underneath a mild bourbon treatment. Lots of dark fruit notes, raisins, red grapes, figs. Mouthfeel is nice and full with an oak finish. Very nice, wanted more coffee but I also have no idea the age of the bottle. Still a fine sipper overall.

08/30/12 bottle. Pours nearly black with some fine sediments. Aroma has smooth notes of oaky wood, roast, whiskey, and a very slight vineous note. Taste is balanced. Dark chocolate, oak, whiskey, caramel, dark fruits, vanilla, peanut shells a slight alcohol, and a touch of coffee bitterness at the end. Full body with a low-medium carbonation. Creamy and full in the mouth with a slightly dry finish. Overall really nice.

Bottle (2011?) to pint glass
I’ve been sitting on this for a few years and I was so happy to open and share this. So exicted in fact that I knocked the bottle sideways and it toppled over onto the counter and stove. Thankfully it didn’t break and I was able to scoop it up and and place it in the sink immediately. We lost about 70 mL, but no matter. The aroma that filled the kitchen was wonderful.
Soy, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, coffee, dark chocolate, toasted malt, rum, oak, maple, and a little campfire. Deep reddish brown with a thin, very creamy dark tan head. There’s some boozy lacing on the glass too. Taste is currants, blackberry, molasses, smoked oak, bourbon, brown sugar and coffee. Mouthfeel is silky and creamy, but I think because of the booziness, the flavour doesn’t last quite as long as I would like. A great beer. Thanks Humboldt.

Draft at Gnarly Barley. Pours nearly pitch black in color and topped a thick head of tan colored foam that slowly recedes to a thin film. The aroma shows notes of dark chocolate, espresso, hints of bourbon from the oak, and sweet vanilla and a touch of roast. The flavor follows with more dark chocolate, espresso, and oak laden vanilla. Just a touch of toasty bitterness on the back end. The bourbon barrel seems to smooth things out, but the bourbon flavor isn’t quite as noticeable in the flavor. Full bodied and smooth with subtle carbonation leading to a lengthy finish. This one was on the sweet side for me and needed some more bitterness to balance things out. Still a nice barrel aged stout.

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